Page:A History of Art in Chaldæa & Assyria Vol 1.djvu/316

 294 A HISTORY ART ix CIIAI.D.KA AND ASSYRIA. of the pieces of glazed brick that have been found in the ruins show nothing but the remains of figures and motives ornamental rather than historical in their general character. 1 Besides the rosettes of which we have had occasion to speak so often we encounter at every step a spiral ornament the design of which remains without much modification, while a certain variety is given to its eeneral effect by chanoqn the arrangement of its colours. o J -> < > o In the example reproduced in Fig. 126 large black disks, like eyes,, are embraced by a double spiral in which blue and yellow alternate - There is one curious class of glazed tiles in which this motive continually reappears. These tiles are thinner than the ordinary brick. Their shape is sometimes square but with their sides slightly concave (Fig. 127), sometimes circular, in the form of a quoit (Fig. 128). In each case similar designs are employed, flowers, palmettes, &c. These are carried out in black upon a white ground Fi<".. 126. Ornament upon enamelled brick. British Museum. and arranged symmetrically about a round hole in the middle of the tile. These things must have been manufactured for some special purpose, and the name of Assurnazirpal, that may be read upon our first fragment (Fig. 127), shows that they belonged to some great work of decoration whose main object was to glorify the name of that sovereign. It has been guessed that they formed centres for a coffred ceiling, and there is nothing to negative the conjecture. The opening in the centre may have been filled with a boss of bronze or silver gilt. As we have already shown, applique work of this kind played a great part in Assyrian decoration ; 1 BOTTA gives examples of some of these bricks (Monument de Ninive, plates J 55> I 5 6 )- Among the motives there reproduced there is one that w.e have already seen in the bas-reliefs (fig. 67). It is a goat standing in the collected attitude he would take on a point of rock. The head of the ibex is also a not uncommon motive (LAYARD, Monuments, first series, plate 87, fig. 2 ; see also BOTTA). 2 Fig. i of our Plate XIV. reproduces the same design, but with a more simple coloration.